Semiconductor light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

An active layer is formed on an n-type InP buffer layer of a substrate. A pair of strip-shaped grooves are formed into the active layer to divide it into a contract portion and side portions. A p-type InP cladding layer is deposited on the entire surface of the active layer and grooves. The cladding layer is selectively etched to form a mesa portion including the central active portion and expose the buffer layer. An insulating film is coated on the mesa portion and buffer layer, so that a semiconductor light-emitting device is manufactured.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/095,114, filed onSept. 11, 1987.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor light-emitting devicesuch as a refractive index waveguide laser or a double-heterojunctionlight-emitting diode and a method of manufacturing the same and, moreparticularly, to a semiconductor light-emitting device in which anactive region is surrounded by a semiconductor layer having an energygap wider than that of the active region and a method of manufacturingthe same.

Various types of semiconductor light-emitting devices having adouble-heterojunction structure have recently been developed. In thesemiconductor lightemitting devices of this type, it is important tosatisfy the following conditions A to C.

A. A current is efficiently concentrated only in a light-emitting regionor an active region which is controlled to have a very small area so asto improve a light-emitting efficiency.

B. An electrode is formed over a wide region so as to decrease thecontact resistance.

C. When high-speed modulation is required as in the case of alight-emitting device for optical communication, an area of a portionwhere a p-n junction is formed is minimized so as to decrease a junctioncapacitance.

An example of a semiconductor light-emitting device for opticalcommunication, which satisfies the above three conditions to someextent, is a mesa laser utilizing a mass transport technique, which isapplied to a GaInAsP/InP semiconductor laser (e.g., Y. Hirayama et al."Low Temperature and rapid mass transport technique for GaInAsP/InP DFBlasers, Inst. Phys. Conf. Ser. No. 79: Chapt 3 Paper presented at Int.Symp. GaAs and Related Compounds Karuizawa, Japan, 1985, p. 175-186).Such a semiconductor light-emitting device is called an MT laser. Amethod of manufacturing the MT laser and its characteristics will bedescribed below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A to 1D are sectional views schematically showing steps ofmanufacturing a conventional MT laser. First, as shown in FIG. 1A, 3μm-thick n-type InP buffer layer 2, 0.1 μm-thick undoped GaInAsP activelayer 3 having a composition capable of emitting 1.3 μm-band light, 1.5μm-thick p-type InP cladding layer 4, and 0.8 μm-thick p+-type GaInAsPcap layer 5 having a composition capable of emitting 1.15 μm-band lightfor realizing good ohmic contact are successively crystalgrown on thesurface of (100) plane of n-type InP substrate 1.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, selective etching is performed until layer 3is exposed to form a mesa portion having a width of 15 μm. At this time,if hydrochloric acid is used to remove layer 4, etching can beautomatically stopped at layer 3 because of its selectivity.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, both sides of layer 3 are etched byan etchant consisting of sulfuric acid + hydrogen peroxide + water(4:1:1) to form a 1 μm-wide active region. At this time, InP is almostnot etched, and only quaternary GaInAsP is etched. Although layer 5 isetched, it is etched to an extent of about 1/3 that of layer 3 becauseof a difference between their compositions. In order to obtain stablefundamental transverse mode oscillation and a low oscillation thresholdcurrent, a width of the active region must be accurately controlled tobe about 1 μm.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1D, in consideration of confinement oftransverse mode light and a sufficient mechanical strength, a deepconstricted portion of layer 3 etched as described above is buried withan InP layer to obtain a so-called buried hetero (BH) structure. In theMT laser, an MT technique is used to grow this buried portion. That is,a phenomenon in which the InP is first grown in the constricted portionif phosphorus is added at a high temperature (670° C). Note that ifInCl₃ is used as an catalyst, rapid growth can be achieved at a lowertemperature.

SiO₂ film 6 as an insulating film is formed throughout the entiresurface of the above element, and a window is formed at a contactportion of the insulating film. An AuZn layer is formed on layer 5 asp-side electrode 7 by a lift-off technique, and electrode 7 is heatedand alloyed. Thereafter, Au-Cr is deposited on electrode 7 and film 6 toform electrode 8. In addition, n-side electrode 9 is formed on substrate1, thereby completing the MT laser.

In this MT laser, a current can be concentrated in an active region orlayer 3 by a built-in potential difference between GaInAsP of layer 3and InP of the buried region. In addition, the junction capacitance issmall because the junction is formed only at the mesa portion of a 15 μmwidth. Thus, the MT laser is advantageous for high-speed response.Furthermore, electrode 7 can be formed to have a width of about 10 μm.

However, the MT laser of this type has a problem of controllability withrespect to a width of the active region. That is, when the 15 μm-wideactive layer is to be selectively etched from the both sides to form a 1μm-wide active region, it is difficult to stop etching of an activeregion at a width of 1 μm with high accuracy, and the entire activelayer is sometimes etched, resulting in a poor manufacturing yield. Thisetching controllability becomes poor as a width of the mesa portion isincreased, and a mesa width cannot be formed larger than 15 μm. Wherethe mesa width is 15 μm, in consideration of a mask alignment margin, amesa width of an ohmic electrode portion must be set below 10 μm. Forthis reason, the contact resistance cannot be sufficiently decreased.Furthermore, since an area of the InP junction at the buried portion isdefined by the width of the mesa portion, it is difficult to form thearea narrower than the mesa width.

Note that although the area of the buried portion can be adjusted bycontrolling a time of the MT step, controllability thereof is very poor.For this reason, the width of the buried InP junction cannot beoptimized, e.g., narrowed to decrease the junction capacitance whileconfining the transverse mode light. Therefore, it is very difficult toobtain higher performance In addition, a carrier concentration at theburied junction portion must be optimized so that the junctioncapacitance is decreased and a built-in potential at the junctionportion is increased to decrease a current leakage, thereby obtaining ahigh output. However, in the conventional MT technique, since thecarrier concentration is not controlled, a concentration at the junctionportion cannot be defined, resulting in a serious design problem.

As described above, according to the conventional MT technique, it isdifficult to set the width of the active region with high accuracy, andthis difficulty prevents high performance of a buried-type semiconductorlight-emitting device. In addition, when an area of the buried portionis decreased, a contact area is decreased to increase the contactresistance. Furthermore, when the contact area is increased, the buriedarea is increased to increase the junction capacitance, and it isdifficult to control the width of the active region.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide asemiconductor light-emitting device with high performance, in which thewidth of the active region can be set with good controllability, thejunction area and the carrier concentration of the buried portion can beoptimized, the contact resistance can be decreased, and high-speedmodulation can be performed, and a method of manufacturing the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A to 1D are sectional views for explaining steps of a method ofmanufacturing a conventional semiconductor light-emitting device insequence;

FIGS. 2A to 2E are sectional views for explaining steps of a method ofmanufacturing a semiconductor light-emitting device according to thefirst embodiment of the present invention in sequence;

FIGS. 3A to 3F are sectional views showing the respective steps forexplaining a method of manufacturing a semiconductor light-emittingdevice according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A to 4E are sectional views of steps showing the third embodimentof the present invention;

FIGS. 5A to 5C are sectional views of steps showing a method ofmanufacturing the fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are sectional views respectively showing semiconductorlight-emitting devices according to the fifth and sixth embodiments ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below withreference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in the followingembodiments, substantially the same parts or the members havingsubstantially the same functions are denoted by the same referencenumerals, and a repeated description thereof will be omitted.

FIGS. 2A to 2E are sectional views of the respective steps forexplaining a method of manufacturing a GaInAsP/InP semiconductor laseraccording to the first embodiment of the present invention. First, asshown in FIG. 2A, 3 μm-thick n-type InP buffer layer (firstsemiconductor layer) 11 is formed on n-type InP substrate 10 having a(100) crystal face as a major surface, 0.1 μm-thick undoped GaInAsPactive layer (second semiconductor layer) 12 capable of emitting 1.3μm-band light is formed on layer 11, and 0.2 μm-thick p-type InP activelayer protecting layer (third semiconductor layer) 13 is formed on layer12.

In the next step shown in FIG. 2B, a pair of 2 μm-wide linear grooves orstripe grooves 14 for burying are formed in second and third layers 12and 13 by channel-etching so that a width of a finally remaining portion(active region 12a) of layer 12, sandwiched between grooves 14, becomes1 μm. Grooves 14 may or may not extend into the first layer 11. Grooves14 divide layer 12 into central region 12a located between them and twoside portions 12b located outside them. A width of region 12a ispreferably about 1 μm so that stable fundamental transverse modeoscillation can be obtained. In addition, a width of each groove 14 ispreferably about 2 μm so that the transverse mode light can besufficiently confined and the junction capacitance can be decreased.However, the widths need not be limited to the above values. By settingthe widths as described above, a total width of a constricted portion ofa mesa portion to be formed later becomes about 5 μm to obtain a wideupper surface, so that a p-side electrode formed on the upper surface ofthe mesa portion can have a sufficient mechanical strength. Then, asshown in FIG. 2C, 1.5 μm-thick p-type InP cladding layer (fourthsemiconductor layer) 15 is formed on the entire surface of third layer13 and grooves 14, so that fourth layer 15 is integral with third layer13, and 0.8 μm-thck p⁺ -type GaInAsP cap layer 16 is formed on layer 15.As a result, a pair of projections 15a of layer 15, projecting ingrooves 14, are formed to sandwich a central portion (active region 12a)of the active layer. Note that in the first embodiment, since aliquid-phase epitaxial (LPE) growth method is used for crystal growth,the final upper surface of layer 16 is flattened. This is advantageousfor formation of the electrode.

Subsequently, Au-Zn electrode 17 is formed on layer 16 in a 25 μm-widestripe manner by a lift-off technique. Electrode 17 is alloyed by a heattreatment to ohmic-contact layer 16, and both side portions of third andfourth layers 13 and 15 are etched using electrode 17 as a mask untilthe upper surfaces of side portions 12b of layer 12 are exposed. Ifhydrochloric acid is used as an etchant during removal of layers 13 and15, etching is accurately stopped at the upper surface of side portions12b by its etching selectivity. Thereafter, only portions (side portions12b) of layer 12 outside projections 15a are selectively removed by anetchant consisting of sulfuric acid + hydrogen peroxide water (4 : 1 :1), as shown in FIG. 2D. An etchant of this type does not act on InP.Therefore, lateral etching is automatically stopped at projections 15a,i.e., the buried portion between the central and side portions 12a, 12b,so that a mesa shape having a desired constricted portion can beobtained with very good reproducibility. Note that in this case, layer16 is not so much etched because it is thicker than the active layer andits composition ratio is different therefrom.

Thereafter, SiO₂ film 18 is deposited on first layer 11 and an outercircumference of the mesa portion. In this case, a space between firstand third layers 11, 13 is kept to be located between insulating film 18and projection 15a. A window is formed by etching at a central portionof insulating film 18 located on the upper surface of the mesa portionto expose electrode 17. Then, Au-Cr electrode 19 is deposited on theentire surface of film 18 and the exposed portion of electrode 19. Inaddition, a lower portion of the resultant structure is polished untilthe thickness of substrate 10 becomes about 100 μm, and Au-Ge electrode20 is formed as an n-side electrode on the polished surface, therebycompleting a buried-type semiconductor laser.

In the semiconductor laser obtained in this manner, widths of region 12aand the buried portion can be controlled to be design sizes with goodreproducibility. In addition, a width of electrode 17 can be set to be25 μm to obtain sufficient ohmic contact throughout a wide area, and thecontact resistance can be sufficiently decreased. Therefore, widths ofthe active region and the buried portion can be optimized, therebyimproving the element characteristics. In addition, since the width ofthe active region can be accurately defined, the manufacturing yield ofthe element can be improved. Furthermore, since the width of theconstricted portion or buried portion of the mesa portion can benarrowed, the stray capacitance can be decreased, and the responsecharacteristics can be improved to realize high-speed modulation.Moreover, unlike in the MT technique, since crystal growth need not beperformed in a narrow gap portion but can be performed in a state near aplanar state, stress can be eliminated and reliability can be improved.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to FIGS. 3A to 3F.

A difference between the second and first embodiments is that the widthof the active layer is defined by utilizing a phenomenon that asemiconductor layer is substantially not grown on a narrow projectionchanneluneveness on the substrate instead of etching the active layer.That is, in the second embodiment, two narrow stripe projections 24 eachhaving a width of 2 μm and a height of 1 μm are formed parallel to eachother on n-type InP substrate 10, as shown in FIG. 3A. Thereafter, asshown in FIG. 3B, 0.5 μm-thick n-type InP buffer layer 11 and 0.1μm-thick GaInAsP active layer 12 are sequentially crystal-grown excepton the upper surfaces of ridges 24. In this state, layer 12 is formed tobe divided by projections 24 into central strip portions or activeregion 12a accurately defined by an interval between linear projections24 and two side portions 12b located outside ridges 24.

In the next step shown in FIG. 3C, 1.5 μm-thick p-type InP claddinglayer (third semiconductor layer) 15 is crystal-grown throughout theentire upper surface of layer 12 and projections 24, and 0.8 μm-thick p⁺-type Thereafter, a mask (not shown) is formed at an upper surfacecentral portion of layer 16, and layers 16 and 15 are mesa-etched usingthis mask, as shown in FIG. 3D. Thus, side portions 12b of layer 12 areexposed, and a 35 μm-wide mesa portion-including projections 24 isformed. Then, similar to the first embodiment, only side portions 12b,i.e., portions not located between projections 24, are selectivelyetched by an etchant consisting of sulfuric acid + hydrogen peroxide +water, as shown in FIG. 3E.

Thereafter, similar to the first embodiment, insulating film 18 and 25μ-wide Au-Zn electrode 17 are formed, and Au-Cr electrode 19 isdeposited throughout the entire surfaces of electrode 17 and film 18.Then, the lower portion of the resultant structure is polished until thethickness of substrate 10 becomes about 100 μm, and Au-Ge electrode 20as an n-side electrode is formed on the polished surface as shown inFIG. 3F, thereby completing the buried-type laser.

According to this laser, the widths of the active region and the buriedportion can be controlled to be design sizes, and an area of a contactportion of layer 16 where electrode 17 is formed can be sufficientlywidened. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first embodimentscan be obtained.

The third embodiment of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to FIGS. 4A to 4E.

In this embodiment, a width of an active region is defined by utilizinga phenomenon that a growth layer is interrupted at a stepped portion ofa substrate.

Stripe-mesa etching is performed on an upper portion of n-type InPsubstrate 10 having a major surface of a (100) crystal face so thatstripe-shaped projection 34 is formed at a central portion thereof, asshown in

u FIG. 4A. Projection 34 is formed on the major surface of substrate 10to have a width of about 2 μm by conventional photolithography inconsideration of a resist mask and side-etching for obtaining a stripedirection of a <011> direction, and is formed to have a height of 1.5 [mby an etchant consisting of hydrochloric acid + phosphoric acid (1 : 1).Then, 0.2 to 0.3 μm-thick n-type InP buffer layer 11, 0.1 μm-thickundoped GaInAsP active layer 12, 1.5 μm-thick cladding layer 15, and 0.5to 0.8 μm-thick p⁺ -type GaInAsP layer 16 are sequentially formed onsubstrate 10 by a liquid-phase growth method, as shown in FIG. 4B. Layer12 consists of portion (active region 12a) located on the upper surfaceof the mesa portion and the other portions (side portions 12b). Eachside portion 12b has a thickness 3 to 4 times that of region 12a and isalmost not formed on the inclined side surface of the mesa portion. Thatis, region 12a located on the mesa portion is separated from sideportions 12b by the inclined surfaces.

25 μm-wide Si0₂ film 35 is formed on the central upper surface portionof layer 16 by the CVD method, and mesa-etching of layers 16 and 15 isperformed using film 35 as a mask as shown in FIG. 4C. At this time,layer 16 is etched using, e.g., Br methanol to reach the upper surfaceof layer 15. On the other hand, hydrochloric acid is used to etch layer15 to automatically stop etching at the upper surface of layer 12 asshown in FIG. 4C. Thereafter, portions 12b, i.e., the portion other thanregion 12a on the upper surface of the mesa portion are removed by anetchant consisting of sulfuric acid + hydrogen peroxide + water, asshown in FIG. 4D. This etching is automatically stopped at the mesaportion since layer 12 is cut off thereat. Therefore, region 12a on theupper surface of the mesa portion is not removed.

Finally, insulating film 35 is removed from layer 16, and Au-Znelectrode 17 is formed in this removed portion. Similar to theembodiments described above, insulating film 18, Au-Cr electrode 19, andelectrode 20 are formed as shown in FIG. 4E, thereby completing thedevice. Note that if strain may occur in the active region formed inadvance due to a heat treatment for ohmic-contacting electrode 17,electrode 17 may be formed instead of film 35 in the step shown in FIG.4C.

The fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C.

This embodiment differs from the aforementioned embodiment at the pointthat a step of a recess formed in a substrate is used to restrict awidth of an active region, unlike the step of the projection.

As shown in FIG. 5A, stripe groove 10b having a width of 1 μm and adepth of 1.5 μm is formed in a central portion of a major surface ofn-type InP substrate 10 having a (100) crystal face as a major surfaceusing an etchant similar to that used in the above embodiments.

In the next step, semiconductor layer 11, active layer 12, andsemiconductor layers 13 and 15 are sequentially formed by a growingmethod similar to that in the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5B.Note that since a portion (active portion 12a) formed in groove 10b oflayer 12 tends to be thicker than the other portions (side portions 12b)thereof, if liquid-phase growth is used as a forming method for thelayer 12, supersaturation of liquid-phase growth must be restricted.

Subsequently, similar to the above embodiments, electrodes 17, 19, and20 and insulating film 18 are formed to complete a semiconductor laseras shown in FIG. 5C.

In the embodiments described above, the n-type InP substrate is used,but a substrate in which a p-n reverse-junction is already formed may beused. This embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. First,n-type InP body 60 is prepared, and 0.5 μm-thick p-type InP layer 61 and0.2 μm-thick n-type InP layer 62 are sequentially liquid-phase grown onbody 60, thereby obtaining substrate 10. Thereafter, a semiconductorlaser is obtained by the same steps as those in the fourth embodimentdescribed with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C.

In the semiconductor laser thus obtained, a p-n reverse-junction isformed between electrodes 17 and 20 in the substrate other than aportion immediately below active region 12a. As a result, the straycapacitance can be decreased, and a current pinching effect can beimproved, so that a semiconductor laser with higher efficiency can beobtained.

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the p-n reverse-junction isformed in the substrate, but it may be formed in the mesa portion asshown in FIG. 7.

In the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 7, n-type InP current confininglayer 70 is interposed between p-type InP active layer protecting layer(third semiconductor layer) 13 and p-type InP cladding layer (fourthsemiconductor layer) 15. Since layer 70 is not located on active region12a, a p-n reverse-junction is formed between layer 70 and third layer13 except on region 12a, thereby providing the same effect as that ofthe fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

In the embodiments described above, an oxide film is used as insulatingfilm 18, but film 18 is nor limited to the oxide film. For example, itmay be formed by heat-hardening a resin with low permittivity such as apolyimide resin. In order to form or fill such a resin layer, thefollowing method can be adopted.

A non-hardened polyimide resin is coated around the mesa portion by aspin coating method, and a heathardening treatment is performed at atemperature of about 350° C. The polyimide resin has goodcharacteristics as a filler, e.g., a specific resistance of about 10Ω•cm and a permittivity of about 3.5.

The active region need not be formed with GaInAsP but may be formed withother materials, e.g., AlGaAs, or need not be formed by a singlematerial but may be a composite layer with a layer of another material.

The semiconductor light-emitting device according to the presentinvention is not limited to a buried-type semiconductor laser, but canbe applied to, e.g., a surface light-emitting LED. In this case, a smalllightemitting diameter and a wide contact area can be obtained, therebylargely improving performance.

According to the semiconductor light-emitting device of the presentinvention, since a groove or a projection around an active region isaccurately defined by mask alignment, a narrow active region and a widecontact region can be obtained. For this reason, the device of thepresent invention can provide high-speed modulation, high efficiency,high output, and low threshold current operation with stable fundamentaltransverse mode oscillation, small current leakage, low resistance, andsmall junction capacitance.

What is claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor light-emitting devicecomprising:a substrate having a first semiconductor laYer of a firstconductivity type; a mesa portion having a second semiconductor layer ofa second conductivity type provided above said first semiconductorlayer; an active region, formed between said first and secondsemiconductor layers, having a predetermined width, consisting of asemiconductor having an energy gap narrower than that of said first andsecond semiconductor layers, and contributing to emission of light;semiconductor regions located at both sides in a widthwise direction ofsaid active region to be contacted with the active region, and having anenergy gap wider than that of the active region; electrically insulatingregions located at both sides in a widthwise direction of said activeregion, and formed between the first and second semiconductor layers;and first and second electrodes respectively provided on said substrateand said mesa portion.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein saidsemiconductor regions include a pair of projections integrally formedwith said first or second semiconductor layer, a total of widths of saidactive region and said pairs of projections being smaller than that ofsaid mesa portion.
 3. A device according to claim 2, which includes aninsulating film formed on the peripheral surface of the mesa portion anda space formed between each projection and the insulating film.
 4. Asemiconductor light-emitting device comprising:a substrate having afirst semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a mesa portionhaving a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity typeprovided above said first semiconductor layer, the first and secondsemiconductor layers forming spaces therebetween which prevent flow ofcurrent between the first and second semiconductor layers; an activeregion formed between said first and second semiconductor layers andbetween the spaces, the active region having a predetermined width, andcomprising a semiconductor having an energy gap narrower than that ofsaid first and second semiconductor layers, and contributing to emissionof light; semiconductor regions located at both sides in a widthdirection of said active region and having an energy gap wider than thatof the active region, each semiconductor region including an innersurface contacted with the active region, and an outer surface whichdefines one side of said space; and first and second electrodesrespectively provided on said substrate and said mesa portion.
 5. Thedevice according to claim 4 comprising, an insulating film covering themesa portion and defining the other side on the space, whereby the spaceis enclosed by the first and second semiconductor layers, semiconductorregion and insulating film.
 6. A semiconductor light-emitting devicecomprising:a substrate having a first semiconductor layer of a firstconductivity type; a mesa portion having a second semiconductor layer ofa second conductivity type provided above said first semiconductorlayer, the first and second semiconductor layers forming two materialetched spaces therebetween; an elongated active region formed betweensaid first and second semiconductor layers and between the materialetched spaces, the active region having a predetermined width andcomprising a semiconductor having an energy gap narrower than that ofsaid first and second semiconductor layers, and contributing to emissionof light; two elongated semiconductor regions located at both sides in awidth direction of said active region and having an energy gap widerthan that of the active region, each semiconductor region including aninner surface contacted with the active region, and an etching stopouter surface which defines one side of said material etched space andprevents the active region from being etched away; and first and secondelectrodes respectively provided on said substrate and said mesaportion.